Grapevine denominated ‘Autumn King’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grapevine denominated ‘Autumn King’ which is characterized by its late season ripening seedless fruit, attractive pale green coloration, its cylindrical to ovoid fruit shape, its firm fruit texture with neutral sweet flavor, and its medium to tight cluster.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofgrapevine, Vitis vinifera L., which will hereinafter be denominatedvarietally as the ‘Autumn King’ grapevine, and, more particularly, to agrapevine which has fruit maturing for commercial harvesting andshipment approximately October 23 in the San Joaquin Valley of centralCalifornia. The fruit has an attractive pale green skin coloration atmaturity with large cylindrical to ovoid shape seedless berries.

The grapevine of the present invention originated from a hand-pollinatedcross of United States Department of Agriculture selection ‘A61-20’(unpatented) and the United States Department of Agriculture selection‘B99-131’ (unpatented) made in 1993 at the United States Department ofAgriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Postharvest Quality andGenetics Research Unit plots at California State University, Fresno, inFresno Calif. The female was ‘A61-20’, a seeded white-fruited grapevinehaving large size, ovoid berries with firm flesh and good skin, and aneutral flavor. The fruit of the ‘A61-20’ ripen about two weeks beforethe instant variety. The pollen parent was ‘B99-131’, a seedless whitefruited grape with very large size, oval berries with medium skin andmedium firm flesh. The fruit of the ‘B99-131’ grapevine ripen one monthbefore the variety of the subject invention. Both of the parents of theinstant cultivar are hybrids of the grapevine genus and species Vitisvinifera L.

The seeds resulting from this controlled hybridization were germinatedin the greenhouse during the winter and spring of 1994. The resultingseedling population totaled 534 individual plants. All seedlings wereplanted in the spring of 1994 in a vineyard at the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service plots on theCalifornia State University, Fresno, campus in Fresno, Calif. Theseedlings fruited in the summer of 1996 and one, the grapevine of thepresent invention, was designated as ‘C67-120’ and selected for itsattractive pale green seedless, medium firm, large berry size, goodfruit quality and late maturity.

In 1997 at the inventors' direction, the grapevine of the subjectinvention was propagated asexually by rooting hardwood cuttings atFresno, Calif. and a test planting of two grapevines of the subjectinvention was established in the United States Department ofAgriculture, Agricultural Research Service plots on the California StateUniversity, Fresno campus. Subsequently in 1998 a larger test plantingof 24 vines was established with rooted hardwood cuttings of the instantinvention. The instant cultivar rooted readily from hardwood cuttings.All grapevines of the new variety planted from hardwood cuttingpropagation, fruited in the third season of growth after planting. Allpropagules, or resulting plants, of the present invention have beenobserved by the inventors to be true to type in that all asexualreproduced grapevines of the variety possessed the characteristicsidentical to those of the original parent grapevine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The grapevines of the subject invention possess medium vigor and haveproduced fruit as own-rooted grapevines. The size of the grapevines wasdetermined by growing the grapevines on a three cross arm ‘T’ typetrellis structure with a top cross arm of 122 cm in length set 189 cmabove the ground; a second cross arm of 102 cm in length set 156 cmabove the ground; and a third cross arm 91 cm in length set 125 cm abovethe ground. The trellis structure had two wires per cross arm andindicted a grapevine height of 200 cm and a grapevine spread of 199 cm.

The fruit of the new variety ripens late, about 8 weeks after the‘Thompson Seedless’ (non-patented) and 4 weeks after ‘Autumn Seedless’(non-patented). The average ripening date in Fresno, Calif. is October23. Berries adhere medium well to the fruit pedicel and have minimalshatter from the clusters during storage. The fruit is pale green incolor at maturity. The fruit shape is cylindrical to ovoid. Fruit skinsare medium thick and similar to the ‘Thompson Seedless’ grapevine.‘Autumn King’ differs from ‘Thompson Seedless’, ripening 8 weeks later.The pulp of the fruit adheres to the skins of the berry and the fruittexture is firm and meaty. The berries are large to very large in size,or 9.8 grams. The flavor of the fruit is sweet and has been rated good.Soluble solids concentration of the juice at fruit maturity averages18.6% with titratable acid of 0.31 grams/100 milliliters of juice. Thefruit is of the stenospermocarpic type of seedlessness and containssmall, aborted seed traces that are not noticeable when eaten. The fruitclusters are usually borne on the average of 1.02 per shoot on canepruned vines. The fruit clusters are conical and are medium in size, or539 grams, medium to slightly tight and attractive. The fruit clusterpeduncles are medium in length.

The grapevine and fruit of the new variety are susceptible to powderymildew disease of grape plants. A spray program for powdery mildewdisease control is required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings of the grapevine of the present invention are colorphotographs showing in FIG. 1 a typical specimen of the fruit and inFIG. 2 a shoot with leaves and a flower cluster all of the new varietyof the present invention.

The color of the phtographs is as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to provide in such color photographs. Description of the newinvention applies to vines of ‘Autumn King’ grown on its own roots at adensity of 1,119 vines per hectare in Fresno County, Calif. in 2002.These vines were in their second year of full production having beenplanted in 1998.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new variety cv. ‘Autumn King’ may be distinguished from othercommercial grape cultivars known to us by a combination ofcharacteristics, including its late season ripening seedless fruit withattractive pale green coloration, its medium firm fruit texture with aneutral sweet flavor, its cylindrical to ovoid fruit shape and itsmedium to tight cluster.

The new variety of grapevine is most similar to its pollen parent‘B99-131’ by having similar berry size and pale green fruit. It isdistinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon in a number of fruitcharacteristics. The flesh of the new variety is firmer, the skin coloris more attractive not showing veins. The berry shape is cylindrical toovoid compared to the oval to round berries of ‘B99-131’. The mostdistinguishing difference is the maturity time, being 4 weeks laterthatn the pollen parent. The new grapevine is also similar to thecommercial varieties ‘Thompson Seedless’ and ‘Autumn Seedless’ in thatthey have pale green seedless neutral flavored fruit. It isdistinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon in that the berriesof tne new variety are larger that those of ‘Thompson Seedless’ and‘Autumn Seedless’. It is also distinguished from ‘Thompson Seedless’ and‘Autumn Seedless’ by ripening 8 and 4 weeks later, respectively.

The new variety also differs substantially from its mother parent‘A61-20’. It is distinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon inthat the new variety is seedless, having small aborted(stenospermocarpic) seeds, while ‘A61-20’ is seeded with functionalseeds. The berries of the new variety are substantially larger, being onaverage about 9.8 grams, while the berries of ‘A61-20’ are about 6.8grams.

Referring more specifically to the botanical details of this new anddistinct variety of grapevine, the following has been observed under theecological conditions prevailing at the orchard or origin which islocated in Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. Allmajor color code designations are by reference to the Dictionary ofColor, by Maerz and Paul, First Edition, 1930. Common color names arealso occasionally employed. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and othercharacteristics are given, it is to be understood that suchcharacteristics are approximations of averages set forth as accuratelyas practicable. The description hereof was taken from specimens grown inFresno, Calif. The grapevines used for measurement were grown in a finesandy loam soil and the grapevines were irrigated using trickle, or dripirrigation. In a substantial part, the data hereof was from grapevinesthat were five (5) years old.

VINE

-   Generally:    -   -   Size.—Medium. Grapevine size as determined on grapevines            growing on a three cross arm ‘T’ trellis with the top cross            arm 122 cm long set 189 cm above the ground; the second            cross arm 102 cm long set 156 cm above the ground; and the            third cross arm 91 cm long set 125 cm above the ground.            There were two wires per cross arm and was trained to            produce a grapevine height of 200 cm and a grapevine spread            of 199 cm.        -   Vigor.—Medium vigor. Vigor as measured by weighing prunings            at dormant pruning for cane pruned grapevines (with 6 canes            and an average of 15 buds per cane) was 4.5 Kg.        -   Productivity.—Productive, 18.5 Kg per grapevine on            grapevines spaced 8 ft. (243.84 cm) by 12 ft. (365.76 cm).        -   Regularity of bearing.—Regular. Annual pruning of canes is            required for reliable production.

CANES

-   -   -   Size.—Diameter — Mature Canes — Medium diameter, medium            vigor, upright in growth habit.        -   Mature canes.—Diameter — Internode Base — 11.8 mm.        -   Mature canes.—Diameter — Internode Midpoint — 9.5 mm.        -   Mature canes.—Diameter — Internode Tip — 4.2 mm.        -   Mature canes.—Diameter — Node Base — 13.4 mm.        -   Mature canes.—Diameter — Node Midpoint — 11.6 mm.        -   Mature canes.—Diameter — Node Tip — 5.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—Base — 5.9 cm.        -   Internode length.—Midpoint — 7.4 cm.        -   Internode length.—Tip — 4.1 cm.        -   Average length of canes.—263.3 cm.        -   Surface texture.—Smooth.        -   Color of mature cane.—Brown (plate 14 D8). No anthocyanin            observed on mature canes.        -   Buds.—Color — Brown (plate 15 A10).        -   Buds.—Texture — Smooth.        -   Dormant bud (compound bud or eye).—Width — At base of cane            5.3 mm; at midpoint of cane 6.6 mm and at tip of cane            4.1 mm. The average number of buds on a current,            single-season growth cane is 44.        -   Date of bud break.—March 29, late season.        -   Young shoots.—Young shoots have cobwebby indument.        -   Diameter of young shoots in spring (measured when shoots are            24 inches).—At base 8.3 mm, at midpoint 5.8 mm and at tip            2.8 mm.        -   Internode length.—7.2 cm at 4^(th) internode from base.        -   Young shoots.—Color — Light yellow green (plate 20 J6) with            slight bronze on edge.        -   Stem of shoot tip.—Color — Yellow green (plate 20 K7) with            occasional red on the sun exposed side.        -   Shoot.—Shape — Straight.        -   Shoot tip.—Form — Open.        -   Tendrils.—Size — Length — 18.6 cm.        -   Tendrils.—Size — Diameter — 2.21 mm.        -   Tendrils.—Shape — Usually biforcated or triforcated and            curled on distal end.        -   Tendrils.—Pattern — Found beginning opposite node 8, then            again at nodes 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17 with this repeating            intermittent pattern to the distal end of the cane.        -   Tendril.—Color Immature Growth — Yellow green (plate 20 L6).        -   Disease resistance.—Susceptible to powdery mildew, and            fungicides were applied to the grapevines under evaluation            to control powdery mildew.        -   Insect resistance.—Insecticides were applied to the            grapevines under evaulation to control grapevine leafhoppers            and variegated leafhoppers. No resistances to these pests            were determined in these evaluations due to chemical control            of these pests.

LEAVES

-   Size:    -   -   Generally.—Leaves simple and alternate. The mid vein (L1) is            14.2 cm long, vein L2 is 11.1 cm long and vein L3 is 7.8 cm            long. The angle between the mid vein L1 and L3 is 106            degrees and between L1 and the 1st vein off L3 is 165            degrees.        -   Average length.—19.5 cm.        -   Average width.—17.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Orbicular        -   Lobes.—Number — Five (5).        -   Color.—Upwardly Disposed Surface — Dark green (plate 23            L12). Upward surface is glabrous, flat and smooth to            bullate.        -   Color.—Downwardly Disposed Surface — Green (plate 22 K9).            Lower surface is glabrous with very few short hairs along            the main midrib vein.        -   Color.—Leaf Vein — Light green (plate 19 I5) with occasional            red (plate 6 I4) on main veins near center of leaf.        -   Leaf vein.—Thickness — Thickness of mid vein at center of            leaf is 1.5 mm.        -   Main veins.—Anthocycanin — Location — With occasional red            (plate 6 I4) on main veins near center of leaf.        -   Leaf margin.—Serrated with shape of teeth pointed and medium            in size.        -   Petiole sinus.—Lyre shape and usually petiole lobes are half            overlapped causing a closed petiole sinus. On mature leaf is            3.4 cm deep and 1.2 cm wide at widest point.        -   Petiole.—Size — Medium.        -   Petiole.—Length — 11.5 cm.        -   Petiole.—Diameter — 2.8 mm.        -   Petiole.—Color — Yellow green (plate 20 L7) with 50% red            (plate 45 J3) covering. Young leaf — Upper Surface — Color —            Green (plate 22 L7) with very light cobwebby indument on            upper surface.        -   Young leaf.—Lower Surface — Color — Pale green (plate 21            L8).        -   Young leaf.—Shape unfolded — Concave to flat.        -   Petiole of young leaf.—Color — Green (plate 20 L7).        -   Stipules.—Onion skin.

TRUNK

-   -   -   Size.—Large.        -   Size.—Height — Approximately 104 cm above the vineyard            floor.        -   Size.—Diameter.— 6.47 cm as measured just below the cordon            or head point at 81.28 cm above vineyard floor; and 6.63 cm            at 15.2 cm above the vineyard floor.        -   Bark.—Color — (plate 16 C7).

FLOWERS

-   -   -   Flower.—Size — Generally — Medium.        -   Flower.—Unopened — Diameter — 2.1 mm.        -   Flower.—Unopened — Length — 2.9 mm.        -   Flower.—Unopened — Surface Texture — Smooth.        -   Date of bloom.—First bloom May 7, 2002.        -   Date of full bloom.—May 16, 2002 at 90%.        -   Inflorescence.—Panicle.        -   Cluster size.—At Bloom — Generally, medium.        -   Cluster.—Length — 17.0 cm.        -   Cluster.—Width — 11.0 cm.        -   Peduncle.—Length — 3.9 cm.        -   Shape of cluster.—Conical with short shoulders.        -   Calyptra.—Color — Green (plate 20 J7).        -   Stamens.—Five (5) and erect.        -   Pistil.—Well developed.        -   Ovary.—Color — Dark green (plate 22 L9).        -   Pollen.—Normal, fertile, abundant.        -   Anthers.—Color — Light yellow (plate 10 J1).

FRUIT

-   Maturity when described: Ripe for commercial harvesting and shipment    approximately October 23 in Fresno, Calif. Late season or 8 weeks    after ‘Thompson Seedless’ grapevine or 4 weeks after ‘Autumn    Seedless’ grapevine.-   Cluster:    -   -   Size. —Cane Pruned Vines — 539 grams.        -   Length.—28.5 cm.        -   Width.—16.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Conical to cylindrical.        -   Density.—Medium to tight, on average has 55 berries per            cluster.        -   Clusters per vine.—56, cane pruned.        -   Clusters per shoot.—1.02 clusters per shoot.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Size.—Length — Medium, 5.0 cm.        -   Size.—Diameter — Medium, 6.0 mm.        -   Color.—Green (plate 21 L7).        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Generally.—There is a medium to good attachment between the            berry and the pedicel.        -   Size.—Length — 8.1 mm.        -   Size.—Diameter — 1.6 mm.        -   Color.—Green (plate 21 I5).        -   Texture.—Glabrous with a few lenticels.        -   Brush.—Length — 2.8 mm.        -   Brush color.—Green (plate 19 F1).-   Berry:    -   -   Size.—Large, avg. 9.8 grams.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical to ovoid.        -   Length.—3.1 cm.        -   Width.—2.3 cm.        -   Color.—Pale green (plate 19 E1).        -   Bloom.—Light.        -   Skin: Generally.—The skin adheres to the flesh.        -   Thickness.—Medium in thickness.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Tendency to crack.—None.-   Flesh:    -   -   Flesh color.—Translucent and very pale yellow green (plate            19 I1).        -   Texture.—Firm, meaty.        -   Juice production.—Medium.        -   Color of juice.—Clear.        -   Flavor.—Sweet and sub acid, neutral flavor.        -   Soluble solids.—18.6%.        -   Titratable acid.—0.31 g/100 ml juice.        -   Aroma.—None.        -   Ripening.—Uniform.        -   Eating quality.—Very good, sweet.-   Character of seeds: Stenospermocarpic seedless, small aborted seed    traces that are not noticeable when eaten. Average aborted seed    trace when present are 6.4 mg fresh weight, 3.8 mm long and 1.8 mm    wide. Seed color is light brown (plate 13 C8).-   Use: Fresh market. No wine nor raisin evaluations have been done.-   Keeping quality: Very good.-   Resistance to disease: No resistance to powdery mildew.-   Shipping and handling qualities: Berries ship and handle similar to    ‘Thompson Seedless’ except there is less berry shatter.

Although the new variety of grapevine possesses the describedcharacteristics noted above as a result of the growing conditionsprevailing in Fresno, Calif. in the central San Joaquin Valley ofCalifornia, United States of America, it is to be understood thatvariations of the usual magnitude and characteristics incident tochanges in growing conditions, training, irrigation, fertilization,pruning, pest control, climatic variation and the like are to beexpected.

1. A new and distinct variety of grapevine plant, ‘Autumn King’,substantially as illustrated and described, characterized by itsattractive pale green fruit color, cylindrical to ovoid fruit shape, andfirm flesh texture with a neutral sweet flavor.